This invention relates to a pipe cutting device for cutting plural kinds of pipes such as gas pipes and water pipes at piping work sites.
A pipe cutting device of the type in which a pipe to be cut is squeezed by and between a circular cutter and two support rollers attached to the front end of a lever means of the pipe cutting device and the lever means is then rotated manually to cut off the pipe is well known as a conventional pipe cutting device. Also well known is a pipe cutting device provided with a ratchet mechanism in which a pipe is cut off by rotating rollers and a cutter around the pipe by manually reciprocating the lever of the type mentioned before. In the conventional manner, the pipe cut-in operation by means of the cutter is performed by manually rotating the handle of the pipe cutting device to squeeze the pipe in the radial direction of the cutter.
In a case where a pipe having a considerably long length is to be cut by one conventional pipe cutting device of the type in which the lever means is rotated to cut the pipe, an operator or worker standing on one side of the pipe has to rotate the lever with his hand from the front portion of the operator towards the upper portion of the pipe, then forward portion thereof and finally the lower portion thereof. This lever rotating operation is extremely troublesome for the operator and does not evenly distribute the rotating force to the pipe. With another conventional pipe cutting device provided with the ratched mechanism, the pipe cutting operation is performed by the operator from one side of the pipe to be cut. When it is required to cut a plurality of pipes or a pipe having a considerable thickness in use of this ratchet type cutting device, manual cutting efficiency is not good and repeated reciprocating cutting operations are required for the operator, thus requiring much time and labour for the operator.
Moreover, in the pipe cutting operations of the conventional cutting devices of the type described hereinbefore, troublesome handle screwing operation is frequently repeatedly require for cutting-in operation of the cutter of the cutting device. These defects or disadvantages of the conventional pipe cutting devices will be increased in a case where a lot of pipes such as gas pipes and water pipes are to be cut at the piping work site, for example a building construction field.